Beechcraft King Air 360 Er vs Daher Tbm 960 vs Leonardo Aw189
The Beechcraft King Air 360ER and the Daher TBM 960 are both pressurized turboprop airplanes, while the Agusta/Leonardo AW189 is a twin‑engine helicopter typically used for offshore, SAR, and utility transport. In category terms, the King Air 360ER is a twin‑engine multi‑role aircraft suited to corporate shuttle, special missions, and short-field operations; the TBM 960 is a high‑speed single‑engine business turboprop optimized for efficient point‑to‑point travel; the AW189 trades cruise speed and altitude for vertical lift and the ability to land where runways don’t exist. For range, the King Air 360ER is designed for extended endurance compared with standard King Air variants and is commonly cited around the roughly 1,500–1,800 nm class depending on payload and reserves. The TBM 960 is typically in a similar general band, often around roughly 1,400–1,700 nm depending on mission profile. The AW189’s range is much shorter than either airplane, generally in the few-hundred‑nautical‑mile class, varying with fuel tanks, payload, and reserves. For passenger capacity, the King Air 360ER generally seats up to about 8–9 passengers in typical executive layouts, the TBM 960 usually carries about 4–6 passengers plus pilot, and the AW189 commonly carries around 12–16 passengers depending on configuration.
| Spec | Daher TBM 960 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 2.25 | $ 15.57 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 21 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Daher TBM | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | TBM 960 | AW189 |
| Aircraft Type | Turbo Prop | — |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1730 | 651 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.56 | $ 0.74 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2908 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 19 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 744 | $ 2,413 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G3000 | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 330 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $4,450,000 | $2,413,000 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 19 |
| Cabin | ||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | No | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 21 |
| Galley Location | MID | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.2 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 19 |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | 14390 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 19 |
| Engine | ||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes |
| Model | TBM 960 | CT7-2E1 |
| TBO (hrs) | 3500 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 850 | 1983 |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 49 | — |
| Fuel Type | — | JetFuel |
| No. of Engines | — | 2 |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length (ft) | 35.3 | 57.8 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 42.1 | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4 | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.1 | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 13.4 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 123 | 395 |
| Overall Height (ft) | — | 16.6 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | — | 48 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 85 |